Sunday, December 18, 2005

Illegal Dog Meat Industry Is Huge In Asia

“Illegal dog traders are still as bold as ever,” resulting in the emergence of a multimillion-peso industry.

Alipio added: “The penalties stipulated under Republic Act 8485, also known as the Animal Welfare Act of 1998, is not enough to deter the illegal trade and sale of dog meat.”

He noted that as of 2000, a total of 103 cases had been filed against violators. Of the total, 63 were convicted, 62 were meted out fines and one sentenced to a jail term of six months aside from a P5,000 fine.

Significantly, most of those convicted in that year were repeated offenders, he added.

Most of the dog traders were arrested in Metro Manila and Benguet in the Cordillera Administrative Region, in coordination with PAL.

Lately, however, Alipio said his group received reports that traders have also started supplying dogs to Pangasinan and Ilocos Sur in the Ilocos and as far as Isabela in Cagayan Valley.

The traders, Alipio said, come from the provinces of Batangas, Laguna and Cavite in Southern Luzon. They usually buy the dogs there at P100 each and sold them to restaurants, mostly in Baguio City and Benguet from P500 to P700 apiece.

The dogs are transported to the Cordillera at least thrice a week in vehicles into which are crammed at least 60 to 70 dogs


The production and sale of dog meat is a thriving business all across Asia. It is going to take a long time, and a lot of effort from animal welfare groups, to shut it down.

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